Afternoon Tea at Blenheim Palace, Oxford, England

It was a splendid English afternoon tea. Miniature smoked salmon blinis, tiny quiches and bite-sized sandwiches graced the bottom plate of our three-tier cake stand. Plump scones, pots of jam, a small dish of fresh cream and fluffy Bakewell slices crowded together on the second tier. And on top, a halo of chocolate delicacies. Once we had made our choice of beverage from a wide variety of teas and tisanes we were free to tuck in and drink in our elegant surroundings - the Orangery Restaurant at Blenheim Palace

An Orangery is, as its name suggests, a large greenhouse used to grow orange trees. They date back to the seventeenth century Britain when wealthy landowners used them to house orange and other citrus trees during the winter to protect them from the cold weather. Initially they did not feature much glass but glazed roofs were introduced during the nineteenth century to allow as much sunlight as possible into the building. Orangeries were a sign of wealth and even more so if they had a glass roof. However, these grand structures proved to be too cold for the trees they were supposed to be protecting but they the do make elegant restaurants. At Blenheim Palace the newly opened restaurant is operated and run by Searcys. Visitors can choose from a variety of full service meals, elevenses, lunch or afternoon tea. There is also an Express Menu for those who do not wish to linger over their food. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).